


Rushing Things

by Syven



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 16:51:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11294754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syven/pseuds/Syven
Summary: Originally written on 12/27/2007.  AU, set after DH. References to DH.





	Rushing Things

Waking slowly, Ginny rolled over in the narrow, canopied bed, facing the same small, sunlit window that she'd awoken to for seven years. Her gaze trailed along the empty bed flanking her own as she pushed herself up, dragging her quilt along with her and crossed into the small bathroom where the mirror immediately scolded her. "Are you trying to wither away, girl? Look at yourself!"

"Sod off, thanks," Ginny retorted sharply but caught her reflection in the mirror nonetheless. Her hair framed a too-narrow face and her eyes looked back at her dully.

"Don't blame me, dearie. I'm not the one who had too much to drink last night," the mirror answered scathingly as Ginny stepped into the shower. A long soak under hot water helped dim the thundering roar in her head immensely and she dressed quickly in the Muggle denims that Hermione had gotten her and pulled on a dark sweater. 

It'd been almost two years since the Battle of Hogwarts, since she'd awoken in the dust-filled dormitory to find Neville had left without a word of reason or goodbye, since the fateful kiss that left an aching hole in her heart. Nearly two years of well-meaning friends and family trying to 'make her see the light' and take up with Harry again and more than a year of throwing herself into her Quidditch team every waking moment. 

And, here she was again, Ginny thought sardonically as a flick of her wrist sent the pile of dirty clothes to a duffle bag under the window seat. They were all here in Hogwarts again - the _'war heroes'_ as the papers called them. She snorted in an unladylike fashion at that and pulled her hair back in a ponytail, putting her makeup glamour in place to effectively hiding the dark circles under her eyes.

It felt like a lifetime ago and yesterday, all at the same time. She'd woken that morning to find Neville gone from where he'd been sleeping, sitting up against the headboard. They'd fallen into an exhausted sleep after soft, guarded declarations of love and faith, gentle kisses and heartfelt promises to talk more in the morning had soothed them both into the first restful sleep they'd had in many months. 

It had been confusing to wake alone but Ginny was sure he'd just gone in search of food so it was a crushing blow to find him in the Great Hall, to feel the cool disregard of his gaze cut through her like a knife. What was mirrored in his eyes wasn't a version of Harry's foolhardy bravado to protect her; no, it was worse - much, much worse and she'd flown from the Hall straight into her oldest brother's arms, weeping incoherently. Bill had taken her home to Shell Cottage, keeping her there until Hogwarts reopened and it was there that she'd buried her feelings. In long, heartfelt talks with Fleur, the French witch had convinced her not to give up, convinced her to owl him and it was only when the tenth owl returned unopened, that the Veela taught Ginny not to care anymore – or so she thought.

Yesterday had been the first day of the unexpected reunion and Ginny had to steel herself with a reminder of what Fleur had taught her when the dark haired wizard had alighted from his carriage. She had silently willed her hands not to clench when he'd turned and helped Luna Lovegood down and, when Harry suddenly showed up at her elbow a moment later, Ginny had gratefully returned to the castle with him, allowing herself to be drawn into a discussion of his latest Auror training session. The close friendship they shared was a comfortable one, if not a bit confusing for her family and their friends. Where they had made the transition from dating to friendship, others still believed the two would take up where they'd left off. Despite their declaration that they thought of each other more as siblings, her Mum still held a not-so-secret hope of more and, over the years, it had become a wry joke between them.

Climbing down the dormitory steps, Ginny grimaced at the previous evening's memory of Neville's coolly polite responses while clenching her nails into the palms of her hand harder and harder until finally, she had made a polite excuse to leave the dining table and fled to The Three Broomsticks in order to forget. Ginny didn't remember much of the evening but waking in her old dorm dressed in the same clothes, she had said a silent thanks to Madame Rosmerta. She smiled, now, stepping into the common room to find Harry frowning over the chess set by the fire, teasing. "If you're trying to scare the pieces, you're doing a good job."

"I don't know how Ron makes heads or tails of it. At least Quidditch makes sense," he answered, gesturing to the board as she approached. "I came by to see if you up for breakfast, you were out pretty late last night. Everything all right?" 

"Yeah… hey, sorry about that but I'm fine," she apologized sheepishly as they walked to the portrait hole. 

Harry nodded his head, pausing to let her go through first. Professor McGonagall had put Harry in the Gryffindor Head Boy’s chamber but he was an early riser due to the rigidity of Auror training. "You bolted out of dinner like there was a dragon chasing you - anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really," Ginny answered softly, stepping out onto the landing and frowning at the sight of Hermione and Ron waiting there. "Hey! Were you guys waiting for us to go down?"

Hermione glanced sideways at Ron and then prodded him sharply with her elbow. "Tell her what you told me last night."

"Aw 'mione… Is it really necessary? I mean that was two years ago…" Ron hedged, toeing his shoe against the railing, cringing at the pointed glare she aimed at him. "All right, geez. Look, Gin, I probably should have told you sooner but I figured it wasn't important, not with you and Harry now…"

"Bloody hell, what are you on about?" Ginny sputtered, looking up at Harry whose facial expression suddenly turned wary.

Instinctive familiarity with the witch had him grabbing Ginny by the elbow and Harry frowned. "Ron, we've been over this a hundred times."

"Oi! What am I supposed to think, yeah? You two go everywhere together and… Bloody hell, Harry! You just came out of the dorms with her! You two might want to keep Mum in the dark but I'm not an idiot, you know." Ron protested, shoving his hands into his jeans with a petulant pout. 

Ginny sighed. "Oh Ron, Harry just came to get me for breakfast. I think you've been listening to Mum's wishful thinking just a bit too much."

"That just makes this worse," Ron grumbled incoherently, yelping indignantly as Hermione pinched his arm hard. "FINE! Fine! I'll tell her!" He rubbed his arm, glaring at Hermione. "I might have said something wrong to Neville."

"Might?" Hermione asked archly, her look clearly indicating her disbelief at what he'd just said.

Ron grumbled, admitting ruefully. "The day after the Battle, I went up to get you for lunch and I found Neville in your room! On your bed!"

"We were both dressed and sleeping, Ron. Exactly what did you think had gone on?" Ginny retorted wryly.

He pulled himself up and squared his shoulders. "I'm your brother, Gin. It's my job to look out for you, so I did. I thanked Neville for looking after you while Harry was gone, that he was a stand-up friend to Harry and all but… Don't you dare pinch me again, 'mione! FINE! I might have mentioned that you _might_ have wanted to get Harry jealous but that everyone knew you two were going to get married."

"Harry jealous… get married…" Ginny answered weakly, feeling as if she'd been belted in the stomach with a Beater's bat. At some point in Ron's story, Harry loosened his grip on her elbow and now she swayed unsteadily against his side. Looking up at her friend, she said. "Well, that explains a lot," and then she fainted dead away. Harry caught her up and the trio crowded back into the common room where he set the small redhead down on the couch.

"What do you mean, he was in Ginny's bed?" Harry rounded on Ron, his expression grim and tight-lipped. 

Ron hedged uneasily. "Well, it didn't look like anything _had_ gone on but, mate, he had no place being in her room."

"She never talks about him, you know," he looked down at the unconscious girl, raking a hand through his already messy hair. "I thought they had a row but that didn't make any sense, not with Neville, for Merlin's sake. They were always so close, I mean, Dumbledore's Army! In fact, I always wondered if he had a thing for her but you know Neville, he'd never have done anything about it."

"I don't know about Neville but she certainly did… does," Hermione cut in primly, rolling up a throw blanket and putting it under Ginny's head.

Ron gaped in astonishment, protesting loudly. "What do you mean, does?"

"Look, it's not my place to talk about it but she said something once, about a year ago, that makes me think there was something more there. It was after that big party we had when you and Harry got into the Auror program, remember? Ginny had a little too much to drink and when I helped her to bed, she mumbled something that didn't make any sense until now," Hermione admitted uncomfortably. "I was teasing her about not dating, not giving her heart away and she said _'Neville never gave it back'_. I thought she was joking but…"

Gesturing to his unconscious friend, Harry replied grimly. "Neville deserves to know the truth."

"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, we were all just kids dealing with some pretty extraordinary circumstances. What good can come from telling him now?" Hermione protested firmly. 

He shrugged hesitantly as he answered. "I dunno but it can't hurt. All she does is eat, play Quidditch and sleep. It's not right."

"No," Ginny said softly, blinking as she opened her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she sat upright. "Hermione is right. Just leave it alone. This is my problem, not anyone else's." She stood and hugged Hermione tightly, grimacing regretfully. "Don’t worry, there won’t be any fuss. It’s just another day, right? I’ll play nice for the camera’s and stay out of the way, I promise."

"Okay, if you say so, Ginny. Are you coming down to breakfast?" Hermione asked, glancing over to Ron who’d wisely kept quiet.

"No, you guys go on ahead," Ginny walked the Trio to the portrait hole, saying. "I’m just going to grab something from the kitchen and get a run in before we have to meet up for the interviews."

When she showed up for the interview limping slightly, Ginny just shrugged sheepishly as she mumbled something about wet grass but let Hermione cast a heal spell before taking her seat. The reporter from the Daily Prophet started with a round of questions about the Horcruxes, leading into more questions about the role of the students inside the school during the Death Eaters reign. After the second stumbling overlap of answers from both Ginny and Neville, she blushed and gestured lightly with her hand, allowing him to take the lead in answering. The sound of his voice, sincere and hesitant, cut deep as he retold the stories - sharing credit with Luna and Ginny. Although Ginny bit her lip and held her resolve of silence, she soon found herself lost in the ocean of his oh-so-familiar yet not voice and their combined memories.

"Ladies, how did it feel to face off against the infamous Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange?" The interviewer cut into Ginny's reverie and she soon found herself reluctantly answering but as soon as the interview was over, Ginny flew from the room, letting her feet lead the way and it wasn’t long before she found herself staring at the tapestry opposite the Room of Requirement. 

Sinking to the floor beside a suit of armor, she stiffened at the sound of rapid footfalls, drawing her legs up to stay out of sight. The footfalls slowed and then stopped, the heavy thud shifting to a soft slide as the person turned, their heels rubbing across the stone floor only inches from where she sat hidden. Softer footfalls approached from the opposite side and Ginny held her breathe when she saw Luna come into view before her but the quiet Ravenclaw didn't turn. 

"Luna! Hey! Did you see Ginny come through here?" Harry's disembodied voice asked.

The blonde shook her head, answering slowly. "Come _through_? No."

"Oh. I thought she came this way. Um, are you looking for Neville?" he questioned hesitantly.

Luna tilted her head to the side, staring at him intently as she replied mysteriously. "I'm not the one who needs to look for Neville."

"Oh," Harry sounded confused and Ginny could picture him dragging his hand through his ruffled hair in her mind's eye. "Well, um, if you see Ginny, would you tell her that the interviewer wanted pictures of all of us after supper?"

"I can do that," Luna responded dreamily, lifting her hand to give a little wave as Harry's footfalls faded away. As soon as he was out of sight, she continued softly. "He's just confused."

Ginny rose from her hiding spot, brushing her jeans off as she stepped out into the corridor proper, looking back the way Luna was facing as she slipped her arm around her friend's shoulder. "I know but Harry means well."

"I wasn't talking about Harry," Luna smiled, giving her a quick, tight hug before skipping off down the hallway.

Staring after her, Ginny felt hypnotized, riveted to the spot where she stood, somewhere halfway between the invisible entry to the Room of Requirement and the twin suits of armor on the opposite wall. The history of the corridor swam around her, seeping in through the cracks of her carefully held reserve until the tears welled up and split over and then, all too suddenly, the walls felt like they were closing in and she fled as if Fenrir Greyback himself were on her heels. 

A half hour of twists and turns found Ginny back in the old dormitory, angrily shoving clothes into her backpack as she told herself that her friends would understand, that she'd owl them as soon as she got back to her flat in Diagon Alley and the interviewer could go hang if she didn't like it. She told herself that she'd only agreed to the reunion because the Holyhead Harpies coach had been overjoyed at the chance of free publicity for their starter Seeker and Ginny told herself that the pictures hadn't been in the original agreement anyway. Because Merlin knew, there was no way she could stand shoulder to shoulder with Neville and be expected to maintain any semblance of dignity. No, it was better to get away, she told herself as she slung the backpack on her shoulder and grabbed her broom.

"Leaving so soon?" the Fat Lady asked as she closed the portrait behind her, watching the young woman with great interest.

Glancing down the steps and then back at the talking portrait, Ginny winced and apologized. "I'm sorry to leave so soon but something came up."

Heart pounding, she scrambled down the shifting staircases and out the entryway doors into the courtyard, half-tempted to mount her broom but Ginny took a deep breath and set off down the lawn toward the East Gate where she'd be past the anti-apparation wards. 

"Stop!" The voice carried faintly on the wind and Ginny pretended not to hear as she reached for the gate latch and it came louder, the unmistakable tone coming across loud and clear and she froze, fingertips just barely brushing the cool metal handle. "Ginny! STOP!"

Turning, Ginny felt the air evaporate around her as Neville jogged to a stop before her, his dark hair ruffled and unkempt, his robe open to reveal denims and a crisp, white button-down shirt. In the castle, when she'd caught glimpses of him, he'd been solidly hidden behind a high-collar, fastened robe and her heart thudded dully as her gaze flickered down his fit form. Looking away, she said. "I didn't sign up for photos."

"Me either," he panted, trying to catch his breath and it was obvious that he'd run all the way from the castle. He took a step closer, reaching out hesitantly before dropping his hand. "Ginny… where are you going?"

"Home," Ginny replied softly, looking down at her grass-stained trainers. She wasn't consciously holding her breath but that didn't seem to make it any easier.

"Y… you can't," Neville stuttered lightly, reaching out and pulling the broom from her hand.

"Why are you…" her voice caught but she looked up at him in confusion. He'd taken her broom. Her _broom_! Ginny's breath hitched in her throat and her tone grew wary and guarded as she asked. "Who told you? Ron?"

"Harry," he answered grimly, gripping the broomstick tightly as if it was a life preserver keeping his head above water and maybe, in a way, it was. Neville's jaw clenched stubbornly. "You can't leave."

She shook her head and reached for her broom but he held it back, out of reach and forced her closer. Whatever he was playing at now couldn't erase her uncertainty that whatever this was - it was a dream she would wake from. "You left."

"Ginny… I wanted you to be happy. How could you… look at me, Ginny. Look!" Neville grasped the collar of his shirt and tugged hard, raining buttons down around them, pulling the cloth back from his shoulder to reveal a deeply scarred expanse of skin running down the side of his neck and along his left shoulder, the puckered skin was evidence of a cursed wound that could never be fully healed. "How could you want a man who looked like…"

Her gaze traced along the horrific scar and back up to his soft, pleading stare and she threw herself into his arms, cutting off his words with a fierce kiss. After a second, he groaned and dropped her broom, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips as he cupped the back of her head and the small of her back. When they drew apart, finally, Ginny looked up at him with sad eyes, her hand resting lightly on the marred skin of his shoulder, asking. "Did you really think that I'd stop loving you because of this?”

Brushing her hair back from her forehead, he answered mournfully. "Merlin help me… I did. Ron said you deserved to be happy and that Harry could do that." Neville's hand trembled in her hair, his eyes glinting in the sunlight as he drank in her face. "Oh, Ginny, I wanted to write you, I did. I've gone to all your games just to catch a glimpse of you and Harry was always there."

"I swear, if you tell me you still believe that I'm going to hex you into next year, Neville Longbottom," Ginny threatened, her words catching in her throat at the fear that he did. Looking up at him, her hands tightened on his shoulders as her heart pounded madly. "Harry has been a good friend but that's all."

His hands dropped to her arms, his gaze searching and unguarded. "I know I have no right to ask you this but… please, Ginny, can you forgive me? Can you find it in your heart to love me?"

"Oh Neville, I never stopped," she whispered, curling a hand at the back of his neck and tugged insistently, drawing his head down and catching his lips in a slow, soft kiss. Her free hand slipped under the edge of his shirt and splayed on the curve of his chest, fingertips stroking the firm, satiny skin, running over the edges of the scar without hesitation as they mapped the surface. Moaning, he turned her and pressed her back against the stone wall, deepening the kiss.

Ginny breathed in his scent, his taste, caressing along the firm curve of his back. His hands weren't shaking anymore as he tugged her shirt free from her denims, splaying them along the curve of her waist and up, pushing her bra aside to cup her breast and she gasped. "Neville! We're on school grounds! You're a _professor_ of … oh… oh Merlin… I don't even know what you teach." 

He broke the kiss and panted weakly as he tried to think straight, the press of her body against his was making rational thought next to impossible. "Defense Against the Dark Arts." His gaze darkened as he stuttered. "M… Marry me, Gin."

"Neville, we haven't even spoken in two years. Don’t you think that’s rushing things a little?" she asked incredulously. 

"No. I’ve wasted too much time already, Ginny Weasley, and I’m not going to waste another minute," Neville declared fiercely, dropping down to one knee and catching her hand in both of his. "I love you with all my heart and soul. Will you marry me?"

"This is crazy. You've gone mental!" Ginny gasped through kiss-swollen lips. 

"That’s a yes, right?" he asked, standing and pulling her close, a tentative smile flickering across his lips.

"Yes," Ginny answered with a nervous laugh, only having time for that one, small word before he was kissing her again and again.


End file.
